"Applauded for what? For cheating?": Christian Horner criticised by F1 fans for defending Red Bull’s growing affinity with Racing Bulls

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner stepped forward to defend the Austrian outfit for taking managerial duties of two F1 teams, Oracle Red Bull Racing and Visa Cash App Racing Bulls.

Red Bull's close relationship with the Italian team Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, formerly known as AlphaTarui, has been well documented so far. Notably, for the upcoming 2024 F1 season, Red Bull Racing and Visa Cash App Racing Bulls are set to collaborate more closely, with an increased sharing of components between the two teams within the confines of technical regulations.

This partnership has drawn criticism from various quarters, including McLaren CEO Zak Brown. The latter, over the last few months, has expressed his concerns about the relationship between Red Bull and sister team AlphaTauri. The McLaren boss went as far as labeling both the outfits as "A and B teams."

However, Red Bull's team principal, Christian Horner, has spoken up in defense of the ownership group, Red Bull. The 50-year-old urged the motorsport community to appreciate the support and commitment the organization has provided to both teams. Speaking during the recent F1 Testing in Bahrain, Horner said (via Autosport):

"I think Red Bull should actually be applauded for the support and the commitment and the jobs that they've provided through the good times, and particularly the bad times. So for me, it really is a non-issue."

However, the F1 community wasn't elated by Horner's statements. Fans took to X (formerly Twitter) to criticize the Briton's defense of Red Bull. One user commented:

"Applauded for what? For cheating?"

A second user commented:

"Red Bull and Christian Horner, Always the victim."

Referring to the allegations of inappropriate behavior currently surrounding Christian Horner, a third fan commented:

"Says the man trying desperately hard not to get fired."

Here are some more fan reactions to Christian Horner's defence of Red Bull:

Christian Horner highlights Red Bull's support to Racing Bulls during the pandemic era

Horner shed light on Red Bull's substantial investments in infrastructure and personnel for Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, particularly during pivotal moments such as the COVID-19 pandemic. He said:

"The regulations evolved, obviously, and the Faenza-based team had to become their own manufacturer. And so further investment was made in the infrastructure in Faenza.

"We then had COVID, where Red Bull once again stepped up and stuck by both teams in its entirety. In fact, Red Bull were responsible for getting F1 going again after COVID with two races [in Austria] that were introduced, to get the sport going again following the pandemic."

Horner also underscored the distinct identities and operational autonomy of both teams. The Briton emphasized their compliance with regulations and the separation of their bases in Italy and the UK. He said:

"The two teams are totally separate. One is based in Italy. One is based in the UK, the one that is based in Italy has a far larger turnover of staff that end up in Maranello than end up in Milton Keynes. They have different personalities, they have different characters, and they comply continually with the regulations."